Door handles, such as those used on vehicles, including ingress and egress doors as well as compartment doors, such as on an RV, typically include a housing with a paddle pivotally mounted on the housing, and a pivot plate pivotally mounted on the rear of the housing for actuation by the paddle. A plunger is mounted on the housing for movement between a normally extended position to hold the door closed and a retracted position to allow opening of the door. Actuation of the handle causes the pivot plate to slide the plunger from the extended position to the retracted position. The frame surrounding the door handle typically includes a striker plate or surface which is struck by a beveled edge on the plunger as the door moves from the opened position to the closed position, with the plunger extending into a recess or behind the striker plate to retain the door in the closed position.
Prior art plungers have a one-piece construction, and have been made of both metal and plastic. A metal plunger has increased friction, which increases the release efforts required to open the door. Also, a metal plunger has increased wear with the pivot plate, which is normally made of steel, so that the plunger has a reduced life expectancy. In comparison, a plastic plunger has a reduced coefficient of friction, as compared to a metal plunger, so as to minimize the release efforts required to open the door, but has poor wear caused by repeated engagement with the striker plate so as to reduce the life of the plastic plunger.
Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved plunger assembly for a door handle which has reduced friction and increased life.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a composite plunger for a door handle which reduces release efforts and increases wear.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved door handle having a metal plunger with a plastic link.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved plunger assembly with a plunger made from a wear-resistant material and a link made from a low-coefficient of friction material.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved plunger assembly for a door handle which is economical to manufacture and durable in use.